Air Leveling System

[laumanmi]

I have a 2003 Holiday Rambler Sceptor model which has an air leveling system. Instead of having hydraulic jacks that level the motorhome when parked, the coach levels via the air bags off the frame. This system works pretty well with one exception. After a few days, air is lost and the only way to re-level is to start the engine up and build up air pressure and re-level.

I usually carry a small Sears air compressor which I hook up to one of the external fittings and pump the air pressure up to 125 lbs in the motor home air tank and then re-level.

I would like to know if others have the air leveling system and if they too have to start their engines to rebuild air pressure or if there is another way in which this is done on your unit. I thought that there must be some way to install an air compressor on board which can be run electrically and turned on by merely flipping on a switch when parked.

Any help or advice anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Mike Lauman

[texnet]

You have a small leak somewhere. Yes you could install an additional compressor and have it kick in when the pressure is too low, but the best thing is fix the system you have be repairing the leak. If you don't repair the leak then at some point in time it will get bad enough that it doesn't keep the air bags up while you are driving down the road.

Our coach has basically the same system, but it has a tag axle and 10 air bags. We have been parked for over a month at a time and do not have to add additional air.

[dons2346]

Mike, you should have an on board compressor that will keep your coach level.

What brand of leveling system do you have?

[bucks2]

I would look for an onboard mounted air compressor which is tasked with this exact job. On my Beaver it is in the front passenger side next to the generator. When the genny is slid out you can see it and also hear it pump up every so often.

It's possible that you have the compressor and it's not working.

[Rex]

If you have an HWH air leveling system, it can be leveled manually, or automatically.

To choose manual, press Level button once.

To choose automatic, press Level button twice.

In manual, the aux compressor will not come on to re-level the coach, and yes it will loose air over time.

The compressor ONLY comes on if the system is set for automatic leveling.

[laumanmi]

I have had it checked and the dealer told me that there is a small leak, nearly impossible to correct, as the leak is considered acceptable by Monaco standards. Don't know if that is true or not, but what I have been told.

Mike

[laumanmi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dons2346 Mike, you should have an on board compressor that will keep your coach level. I am not aware of one that exists. What brand of leveling system do you have?

I have an HWH system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucks2 I would look for an onboard mounted air compressor which is tasked with this exact job. On my Beaver it is in the front passenger side next to the generator. When the genny is slid out you can see it and also hear it pump up every so often. I am not aware of any onboard mounted air compressor. The only way I think I can build up air is by starting the engine up. It's possible that you have the compressor and it's not workingI a.

[TEDDE]

I also have a 05 sceptre with air bag automatic leveling system. I can only level on automatic mode as I don not have a manual mode..My air bags seem to work fine with no leaks so it stays level for quite some time. We have not spent a long time at one spot so we won't notice if the bags are coming down or not. They stay up for the winter up here in Canada.
I have a question though...If we have this auto leveling system do we still have to dump the air when parked?? Do I use the LOWER mode on my system to keep the coach lower to the ground?? How do I dump the air?? Will it make the coach more stable? We can feel the coach give a little while in this mode..Is this normal or are we talking dumping the air again??

Just wondering..

[Mike Canter]

TEDDE, let me assume that you have a HWH air leveling system. If so then you should have a manual mode by hitting the control panel AIR button one time so the indicator light comes on steady then you can manually hit the up and down arrows and manually raise or lower the MH. There is no button labeled MANUAL MODE. If you hit the AIR button twice then the indicator light flashes and you are in autoleveling mode. The only way you have to dump the air is to use the button next to the TRAVEL MODE button that has the down arrows on it. You can just hold that button down and it will dump the air out of the bags (make sure your front wheels are straight first). I have tried dumping air before leveling and I see no difference in my MH but then I have 10 bags and 10 shocks so I am stable all the time.

There is no requirement to dump air before auto leveling or to dump air before storage.

Normally if you use auto leveling the system levels the MH then goes into a sleep mode where it monitors and corrects the level on a routine basis. If the air tank pressures drop too low then a small auxiliary compressor comes on and maintains the required amount of air in the bags to keep it level. Given that it should never droop over time.

The Automatic Sleep Mode with the auxiliary air compressor will not work if you manually level the MH, or you use EMERGENCY STOP button or the EXCESSIVE SLOPE indicator light is on. My leveling system and auxiliary air compressor stays active with the salesman switch off and the two battery disconnect switches off. The only way I can turn it all off is to hit EMERGENCY STOP.

[D Barber]

TEDDE,
Some of the 05 H/R had the Firestone Intelliride system in them. If that is what you have let me know and I can give you a couple of tips. We have an 05Windsor and the Firestone IntelliRide.
Don Barber

[TEDDE]

Thanks..D. Barber..Yes I have the firestone system on our coach..After reading the replies from Mike above I had to go out to the coach and see what system I have.We just got this coach this past summer and am learning what things I have and don't have..All your comments about air button and all.... is totally beyond me.. All I have is horizontal leveling as well as the 3 position travel mode..Low..middle..and travel..I have been lowering the coach to the lower mode and thought this was all that I could do..but you guys started talking air dumps and everything I got totally confused..

We have the 8 air bag sysytem with the 400 ISL engine..

Thx
Ted

[Mike Canter]

TEDDE forgot what I posted since you don't have the HWH System have the Firestone system. D.BARBER can help you.

[Tsronco]

I am also very interested in this subject I am looking 2012 endeavor that has 10 bags and 10 shocks with the air leveling system not sure which system yet next time I look at it I'll let you know

[moisheh]

Our 08 has the Power gear system and I think the new Monacos have a sytem that is very similar. Power Geare partnered with Valid fo these units. Like the HWH we have an auxiliary compressor. I remeber reading something about 4 years ago where people with the Firestone system had no aux. compressor. They complained about the loss of air. Certainly would not be hard to install a compressor. Soemtimes the problem can be that Monaco did not install a check valve on many units. I have no idea where this check valve is to be installed. Hope this helps.